Chilled to get Thrilled

Okay Mr. Happy. Shut it down once in awhile. It's cool just to be chilled.
I poked my head into a class early this morning (at a nearby gym) to check out an instructor before I got busy coaching my Strength and Conditioning group (they are animals). I thought I would get a listen and hear some coaching. This dude hit play on his Ipod and went nuts. Like a non-stop auction guy...he was talking so much and trying to get everyone to relax and warm-up that they all probably got migraines or confused on what cue or clever message he was trying to convey. Comical. Sad.
He actually had decent music but you could barely listen over his voice. It was like the guy had 7 shots of espresson after sleeping 10 hours and then got shocked with d-fib paddles! Needless to say, if this cat was at a party he and I would not chill to cool tunes while chewing on a glass of syrah. Nope.
Part of the beauty of SPINNING is that you can chill and train at the same time! That is unique. Energy, flow and getting into your own space is part of the allure. As an instructor, give your voice a rest. Lead with music. Lead with your form on the bike. And if/when you use your voice, have a purpose. Better to say less and command more!
I often like to put people in the mood with music and soothe them into the training atmosphere. Remember, training requires skill and practice. Intensity comes second. Keep them chilled then get them thrilled. No need to do the old MMA ground and pound with your voice or too much distraction. As we'd say...let it soak in and allow it to just happen, don't force it.
You may recall that I have told many of you to play songs with powerful sounds that will automatically tell your riders what hand position and what movement to execute! Or let them determine for themselves what feels right. Riding by feeling is cool. It's chilled. It works. And it sells.
As an instructor, having some space during the ride allows you to see whats going on and adjust your cueing and coaching to construct a more efficient ride. You can think too, its okay! Take a look around, make eye contact or actually plot out a few things to say in the next section. Wisdom.
As human beings, it feels good to feel good, know what I mean? Whether you are training or chilling, they can both have a similar outcome!